The present invention generally relates to a mechanism for assisting the user in the operation of a trigger in a gun mechanism. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanical, pneumatic, magnetic or electronic method for assisting the user in the operation of a trigger and/or actively and rapidly returning the trigger mechanism to its firing position at the completion of a firing sequence for use with a paintball gun.
As the game and sport of paintball has grown, an increasing reliance on volume fire has evolved. This reliance on an increase in volume fire is evidenced by the introduction of electronically enhanced guns, improved paintball magazines and paintball feeding mechanisms, improved high speed valves and regulators and a host of other technologies all having a common goal of increasing the rate of fire from the paintball gun.
The goal of increasing the rate at which paintballs can be fired is complicated by an industry prohibition on xe2x80x9cfully automaticxe2x80x9d firing mechanisms, multiple shot weapons or other enhancements which allow the user to fire more than one paintball per trigger cycle of the weapon. Therefore, an objective throughout the paintball industry is to enhance the rate of fire through various means which maintain the operation of the paintball gun in a true xe2x80x9csemi-automaticxe2x80x9d firing mode in which one projectile is expelled per complete cycle of the trigger/gun mechanism. Further, a desire exists to eliminate, assist or equalize the force exerted by the use throughout the trigger cycle and to provide a powered or assisted method of returning the trigger to the ready position at the end of the firing sequence.
Despite previously mentioned solutions and enhancements, there are currently no methods available for an xe2x80x9cassistedxe2x80x9d trigger mechanism in a paintball gun. In principle, an assisted trigger mechanism utilizes the user""s own mechanical action of pulling or releasing a trigger mechanism as the initiating force, after which mechanical, pneumatic, electronic, magnetic or a combination of these means is introduced and automatically perform some or all of the trigger cycle.
In currently available paintball guns, a simple trigger mechanism relies on mechanical force from the user to release a captured sear. A hammer, retained by the sear and under spring tension, is released, allowing the hammer to impact a valve stem, thereby opening the valve and firing a projectile and then, utilizing gas blowback to reset the sear.
In order to understand the scope of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that there are currently four xe2x80x9cclassesxe2x80x9d of paintball gun design, each of which has a different configuration but all of which operate on the same principles of design.
The first of the four mechanisms of paintball gun operation is classified as a blowback configuration. This type of gun utilizes a mechanically operated sear connected to the trigger, a spring operated hammer connected mechanically to a bolt, and a spring operated valve mechanism. The bolt is located above the hammer in a separate body channel which is in communication with the gun barrel. In operation, the user first xe2x80x9ccocksxe2x80x9d the system by pulling a cocking knob connected to the bolt. This causes the hammer to be moved behind the sear and compresses the hammer spring.
When the trigger is pulled, the trigger actuates a sear, releasing the hammer. Under spring tension, the hammer moves forward. Since the bolt is connected to the hammer, when the hammer moves forward, the bolt moves forward as well to push a paintball into the barrel. When the bolt is at its furthest point of forward travel, a gas passage in the bolt is in communication with a vent hole from the valve. Simultaneously, the hammer impacts a valve stem in the face of the valve, opening the valve and releasing a preset amount of pressurized gas. This gas vents through the bolt, thus firing a paintball, and against the hammer, pushing the hammer and the bolt back into the cocked position. At its rearmost point of travel, the sear once again captures the hammer completing the cycle.
The next type of paintball gun uses a xe2x80x9cblow forwardxe2x80x9d type of mechanism in which the bolt is retained by the sear, which is mechanically linked to the trigger. The bolt rides on a tube that communicates with the valve and is retained by the sear under pressure, effectively acting as a seal on the valve system. When the trigger is actuated, the bolt is released. Gas pressure from the valve pushes the bolt forward, which in turn pushes a paintball into the barrel. Once the bolt has reached its furthest point of travel, the gas passage is opened, allowing the gas to flow through the face of the bolt, thus firing the paintball. A spring located forward of the bolt returns the bolt where it is again captured by the sear, thus completing the cycle.
An xe2x80x9cautocockingxe2x80x9d style of semi-automatic paintball guns operate in the same basic manner as the blowback semi-automatic. However, the design is based on what was originally a pump operated paintball gun where the pumping action has been pneumatically automated. This style of design therefore has several additional mechanisms.
In the autococking style mechanism, when the trigger is pulled, the hammer is released, striking the valve and sending gas through the bolt and down the barrel, thus firing a paintball. Gas is also vented to a low pressure regulator, which in turn supplies a three-way valve. The three-way valve is connected to a pneumatic ram, which in turn is mechanically linked to a cocking mechanism and to the bolt.
Gas from the regulator is introduced into the three-way valve which first operates the ram to push the cocking mechanism rearward, pulling the bolt back, allowing a new projectile to enter the barrel and resetting the hammer on the sear. Gas is then vented from the three-way valve, which operates to reverse the flow of gas to the ram, which in turn pulls the bolt and cocking mechanism forward, completing the cycle.
The final type of paintball gun is classified as an electric paintball gun. In some cases, electric paintball guns replaced some or all of the mechanical systems mentioned above with electronic or electromechanical systems. For example, one widely distributed model substitutes an electronic switch connected to a solenoid for the mechanical sear.
In each of the types of paintball guns discussed above, the firing rate of paintballs is limited by the rate at which a human finger can depress and release the trigger of the paintball gun. Since the rate at which a human finger can pull a trigger is somewhat limited by the mechanical action of the trigger mechanism, it is an object of the present invention to provide assistance to the user when pulling the trigger and actively assist in returning the trigger to its initial position.
The present invention relates to an assisted trigger mechanism used to aid a paintball gun user in the depression and release of a trigger during the firing sequence of a paintball. The assisted trigger mechanism allows the user to complete the firing sequence in less time and using less effort, thus allowing the user to increase the number of paintballs fired during a given time period.
In the first embodiment of the invention, a secondary magnet or electromagnet is positioned behind the trigger in the trigger housing. The secondary magnet in the trigger housing is used to attract the trigger during initial movement of the trigger rearward, while the polarity of the secondary magnet can be reversed to repel the trigger once the paintball has been fired.
In another embodiment of the invention, the trigger itself is configured as part of an electromagnet. User actuation of the trigger causes the circuit between the trigger/electromagnet and a power supply to be closed. The magnetic field thus created causes the trigger to be attracted to a secondary magnet behind the trigger while being simultaneously repelled by a secondary magnet positioned in front of the trigger. Once the trigger has traveled past the point where it actuates the sear mechanism of the paintball gun, the circuit to the trigger electromagnetic is opened, causing a cessation of the magnetic field. Once the trigger has traveled a minute but discernable distance beyond that required to cause a firing event, the circuit is again closed such that the polarity of the trigger electromagnet is reversed. At this point in the trigger cycle, the magnetic field repels the trigger from the secondary magnet positioned behind the trigger, while the secondary magnet in front of the trigger acts to attract the trigger.
In another alternate embodiment, an adjustment mechanism consisting of a non-ferrous xe2x80x9cfield strength reducerxe2x80x9d is positioned between the secondary magnet in the trigger housing and the trigger. The field strength reducer, when placed between the secondary magnet and the trigger, reduces the strength of the magnetic field emanating from the secondary magnet. The type and size of the field strength reducer can be selected to vary the amount of assistance provided by the secondary magnet.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the magnets can be replace by a single or a pair of solenoids that are mechanically linked to the trigger. Movement of the trigger during the firing sequence causes activation of the solenoids which extend their solenoid rods to aid in movement of the trigger during the firing sequence.
In another embodiment of the invention, Hall effect sensors are attached to the electromagnets positioned in the trigger housing. As the trigger is depressed, the change in the field strength monitored by the sensors will alternately cause either power to be transmitted to the electromagnet, the polarity of the magnet change, or power will be cut off to the electromagnet. In this way, the user""s actuation of the trigger, and the positioning of the trigger, can be monitored and adjusted.
In addition to aiding in the actuation of the trigger itself, an alternate embodiment of the invention contemplates replacing the mechanical linkage between the trigger and the cocking/firing mechanism with a pneumatic operating system. In this embodiment of the invention, rearward movement of the trigger opens a pneumatic air valve. As the pneumatic air valve is opened, air pressure is supplied to an actuating ram coupled to the cocking ram of the paintball gun. When the actuating ram is pressurized, the air pressure of the actuating ram operates the cocking/firing mechanism to cause a paintball to be fired. In this manner, the air pressure of the actuating ram causes the mechanical movement of the cocking/firing mechanism, rather than a mechanical linkage between the trigger and the cocking/firing mechanism. The use of air pressure rather than the mechanical linkage allows for a faster and less physically demanding movement by the user on the trigger. After the firing sequence has been initiated, the residual pressure within the pneumatic valve aids in returning the trigger to its pre-firing position.
In addition to being used as an originally installed component, the assisted trigger mechanism of the present invention can be retrofit onto existing paintball guns while operating within the scope of the present invention.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.